The team behind Aalia, Henrietta, Nour, Lilymu and the Lobbyist have done it again with the opening of the new Japanese Izakaya, Ito.
Located on Crown Street in Sydney, the new restaurant boasts food based on tradition and inspiring creativity. Offering a dining space for 85 guests and 25 alfresco seats in the heart of Surry Hills, this cutting-edge Izakaya is headed up by Head Chef Erik Ortolani.
Sharing a meal at Ito should spark conversation and laughter and the desire to come back for more. Erik has reimagined a Japanese Izakaya with unique dishes such as yellowfin tuna, served on bonito bread with shaved bottarga or Wagyu mafaldine paired with white shimeji and miso.
He says: "I’ve always been passionate about Japanese food, it wasn’t until I moved to Australia that I started to explore the art of Japanese flavours and techniques. Whilst my heritage is Italian, my passion is Japanese cooking. It feels natural to me to use a combination of the two as a vehicle for creating a really unique menu that is still very signature Japanese and that’s exactly what we’ve done with Ito. Fresh seasonal produce, smart cooking, bright flavours.”
Of considerable mention is that prior to ESCA Group, Erik ran the kitchen at Cho Cho San as Head Chef for 5 years and Nobu.
In Kanji, izakaya directly translates to ‘stay-drink-place’ and that is the vibe emanating from Ito. Peppered across Japan, these informal after-work bars provide a haven for the social and the hungry. Ito aims to emulate this tradition, as a place to sip sake and snack on delicious kingfish while overlooking Crown Street. Equal parts comfortable and classy, Ito is an experience, rather than a restaurant.
"For Ito’s drinks menu, we wanted to complement the food’s unique personality and the timelessness of the venue design. We have curated a cocktail list of Japanese-inspired classic cocktails, a quirky selection of wines from Japan and Italy as well as some Aussie classics and an extensive selection of sake. There’s something for everyone, from the discerning drinker looking to explore or to the local casual sipper,” explains Group Bar Manager at ESCA Group, Mark Anderson
As for the venue itself, a key driver behind the architectural facelift was ensuring flexibility and engagement between inside and out and the two internal levels themselves. Brought to life by distinguished Australian architect, Matt Darwon, the Ito personality is expressed via a combination of clean lines, bespoke Tasmanian blackwood furniture, leather furnishings, Japan-black stained floorboards and pops of bold colour, to modernise the overall aesthetic.
Head to www.itorestaurant.com to learn more and make a reservation today.
